Sunny Daze Read Free Page B

lot of fun!”
    “SVSC?” I repeat.
    “Super villain summer camp,” she explains.  “Max is completely stoked.  He had T-shirts made and everything!”  Adanna and I tormented Max for a week before he found out what was going on.  Shame, that, it’d been a lot of fun to torture him with Panther’s “plans.”
    “You’re kidding, right?” I say, staring at her incredulously.
    “This is Max we’re talking about,” Zoe says, looking at me with a dry expression.  “He offered to get me one in pink camo.”
    “Did you get it?” I ask.
    “Of course not!  I don’t look good in pink,” she says, shoving her hair over her shoulder.
    “They’re here,” Dad says as a plane lands.  “Get ready, kids, we need to look like a normal, happy family.”
    “We’re not one?” I ask.
    “Sunny, every plant in the building has turned to face you and your mom,” Dad says dryly.  I glance around, blinking as I see he’s telling the truth.  “Thankfully not many people look at plants.”  He wraps an arm around Mom’s waist, looking just slightly tense as people start coming off of the plane.  It doesn’t take much searching to notice when my grandparents get off--they tower over more than half of the people, and are twice as broad through the shoulders as the ones as tall as they are.
    “Zoe!  Sunny!” Grandma says, heading straight for us and hugging both of us at the same time.  It’s a bit hard to breathe for a second, but I ignore that fact.  She smells like candy.  I hug her back, as tight as I can, and she lets out a laugh.  “You have been working out!” she tells me.  “I almost felt that, kitten.”
    “A little,” I say modestly, grinning up at her. 
    “Now where is this Liz?” she asks us, turning as we point to Aunt Liz, who’s lingering far behind the rest of us.  “Well don’t just stand there, come here!” she calls over loudly.  Aunt Liz turns bright red, but heads over, pulling her baseball hat down a little lower.  I guess a white haired young woman does tend to stand out a bit, huh?  I watch curiously as Grandma heads straight for Liz and places massive hands on her shoulders.
    “Hi,” Liz says.
    “And what pow–“
    “Mom, do you think we can discuss this in the van?” Dad asks, interrupting her quickly.  We had to borrow a van from the black suits to fit everyone in.  You can barely fit four people in the Firebird.
    “Oh, of course, my love,” she says.  “But first we must get our luggage–I have brought presents!” she announces, heading for the luggage area.  I stand back and watch as she joins the throng searching for their bags, only to jump as a hand lands on my shoulder.  It’s not Dad’s–Dad’s been holding onto Mom this entire time.  I look up slowly, seeing Superior (I should probably practice calling him Grandpa,) standing next to me. 
    “How have you been, Sunny?” he asks me in an almost silent tone.  Is it wrong to feel slightly worried right now? 
    “Um... okay?” I offer, as if he’s going to tell me I’m wrong.
    “How about your abilities?” he asks.  “You’re the first elementalist in the Superior line, you know.”
    Ooooh.  So that’s why.  “I dunno,” I admit, frowning slightly.  “Dad did a test on me last night, said I’m still growing too fast to pinpoint where I’ll end up–that’s why Mom’s complaining because I keep falling asleep.”
    “I see,” he says, a satisfied smile pulling at his lips.  “I look forward to it.”
    “So do I?” I offer in that same questioning tone.  I dunno.  I mean, I don’t mind taking naps all the time, so it’s not that big of a deal–well, except when the earth starts reacting in the middle of my naps.  That’s kind of weird.  At least plants don’t try climbing up my pants as often–well, not if I’m awake.
    “Good boy,” he says, messing up my hair and heading forward to assist his wife.  I blink as Dad moves into the place he just